2007年VOA标准英语-Pacific Health Officials Confront Avian Flu Fea

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
12 September 2007

The World Health Organization says the threat of avian flu is as serious as ever.  Members of the WHO's western Pacific region are in South Korea to discuss ways to combat bird flu.  VOA's Kurt Achin is at the meeting in Jeju, South Korea, and reports that many countries do not have the minimum systems in place to deal with an outbreak.

World Health Organization Director for Communicable Diseases Tee Ahsian gave delegates a grim status report on avian flu.

"In the western Pacific region, the avian influenza¹ situation remains² serious and the human influenza pandemic threat shows no sign of abating," Ahsian said.  "... The virus has become formally entrenched³ in many parts of Asia and much capacity-building work to address the challenges lies ahead."

WHO members are addressing avian flu among a host of other health concerns during their week-long meeting in Jeju, South Korea. 

During this season, migratory⁴ birds criss-cross Asia, spreading a highly contagious⁵ and lethal⁶ form of flu known as H5N1 - which is transmissible to humans.  Since the most recent outbreak appeared in Asia in 2003, the virus has killed about 200 people. 

Most of the human cases were contracted through contact with sick birds or their feces.  But there have been documented cases of human-to-human transmission - which is what has scientists worried.

Doctors warn the H5N1 virus is dangerously close to mutating so that is would pass easily between humans - which could spark a global pandemic that could kill millions of people worldwide.

Officials are working on a regional system for early detection but note that there are even bigger challenges. New Zealand Health Minister Pete Hodgson says infrastructure⁷ issues will be critical.

"If you have got a very well planned health system and your communications system falls over, or your electricity system falls over, or your finance system falls over, or cops do not turn up out of their barracks when they need to - then more people will die, basically," Hodgson said.

WHO guidelines on responding to a bird flu epidemic⁸ call for quarantine and distribution the drug Tamiflu.  But WHO spokesman, Peter Cordingley, says the world is still not prepared.
 
"There will never, ever, ever be enough Tamiflu if there's a pandemic ... so, all countries know they have to have their own priorities about who will get it in a pandemic situation, and there is going to have to be some tough decisions," Cordingley said.

This year the World Health Organization adopted legal guidelines for members to respond to public health threats - including flu pandemic.  Members have until 2010 to implement⁹ regulations.

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

4 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

5 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

6 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

9 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。